Brief and responsibility matrix
Define rooms, operating scenarios, quality level, budget framework, decision-makers and the boundary between architect, designer, general contractor, technical supervision and suppliers.
STMK · PRACTICAL GUIDE
Building a private villa in the Moscow Region
A reliable project is built as a connected sequence: brief, surveys, design, comparable contractor bids, coordinated construction information, site control and documented handover. Skipping a link transfers uncertainty to the site, where changes are slower and harder to compare.
Start by fixing the client's brief, site constraints, roles and decision process. Then complete the necessary surveys and coordinated design information before comparing contractors on one scope. During construction, record changes against the current documentation and close the project with as-built records.
Seven connected stages
Site information and surveys
Collect reliable source data for design. The exact scope depends on the site and project; record what has been completed, by whom and which version is current.
Concept and cost alignment
Check that area, structure, facade, glazing, engineering systems and landscape can be developed within one agreed brief before detailed design begins.
Detailed design documentation
Coordinate architecture, structure and engineering disciplines. Issue drawings with revision control, responsibility for answers and a register of unresolved interfaces.
Comparable contractor selection
Send the same scope and assumptions to every bidder. Separate exclusions, provisional sums, client-supplied items, schedule assumptions and the change-order process.
Construction and change control
Use one current set of information on site. Link requests for information, approvals and changes to drawings or the model so that the decision history remains auditable.
Quality records and handover
Close inspections, test results, certificates, equipment data and as-built documentation before handover. Record any open items, owner and completion date.
Three questions before work starts
What should be ready before contractor bids?
A fixed comparison scope: current drawings, responsibility boundaries, material assumptions, known exclusions, expected schedule logic and rules for pricing changes. Without a shared basis, a lower total may simply contain fewer obligations.
How should a client compare general contractors?
Compare relevant completed work, the proposed team, the depth of the estimate, exclusions, change control, site reporting and handover documentation. Verify references against projects of similar complexity rather than relying on a portfolio total.
What is BIM used for during construction?
BIM can connect disciplines, expose interfaces and provide a common reference for site questions and approved changes. It does not replace decisions or supervision; its value depends on an agreed process, current information and responsible participants.
Verified STMK examples
Residence V01 is a completed 1,100 m² project: architecture by Rodion Prazdnikov / Modul AB, STMK detailed design in 2020–2021, construction from 2022 and handover in 2023. Residence R04 is a 6,500 m² project in progress (2023–2026), with architecture by Alexandra Fedorova and STMK BIM coordination and construction work.
These examples confirm published project roles and chronology. They do not prove a universal price, duration, saving or ranking.